- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by Adam Ingram on 12 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how many classes in each of primary 1 to primary 3 have (a) more than 30, (b) 25 to 30, (c) 20 to 24, (d) 18 to 19 and (e) less than 18 pupils.
Answer
Information on individualclass sizes from the 2006 pupil census (the latest figures available) is publishedon the internet and can be found at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/16412/PrimClassSizesSep06.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 12 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether official cars have been used to transport ministers, for purposes outwith their official capacities, to or from private addresses other than those registered as the relevant minister’s home address and, if so, whether it will provide details of such journeys, since May 2007.
Answer
All use of officialcars is for purposes within ministers’ official capacities.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 12 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals for renewable energy generation have been considered by ministers since May 2007 and what the outcome has been in each case.
Answer
Scottishministers are currently handling 38 renewable energy consent applications at variousstages in the section 36 process leading to determination. Since May 2007, Scottishministers have determined seven renewable energy applications and referredthree wind farm applications to Public Local Inquiry. Four new applications havebeen received since May.
| Section 36 Application | Determination | Megawatts |
| Inverleal hydro | Consented July 2007 | 3 |
| Greenock wind farm | Refused July 2007 | 55 |
| Harestanes wind farm | Consented September 2007 | 214 |
| Clashindarroch wind farm | Refused September 2007 | 129 |
| Calliachar wind farm | Refused September 2007 | 62 |
| EMEC Orcadian Test Centre | Consented September 2007 | 3 |
| Carnoch hydro | Consented October 2007 | 1.5 |
In addition, Scottishministers had before them six renewable energy planning applications for their considerationsince May 2007. They are as follows:
| Notified Planning Applications | Present Position |
| Monan Wind Farm, Isle of Harris | Application notified to Scottish Ministers on 23-3-07. Application called in for Ministers determination on 4-7-07. Call-in Direction revoked 6-9-07. Application presently before Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar. Consent still to be issued |
| Merranblo Wind Farm, Orkney | Application notified to Scottish Ministers on 13-4-07. Application called in for Ministers determination 26-6-07. Case being heard by means of public local inquiry which has been set for Jan/Feb 2008 |
| Erection of 2 wind turbines, Strath of Brydock, Alvah, Banff | Application notified to Scottish Ministers on 26-6-07 and subsequently cleared back to Aberdeenshire Council for their own determination on 12-9-07 |
| Energy from waste incineration at Binn Farm, Glenfarg | Application initially notified to Scottish Ministers on 12-1-07 and subsequently cleared to Perth & Kinross Council for their own determination on 28-8-07 |
| New Hydro Electric Scheme, Callop, Glenfinnan | Application notified to Scottish Ministers on 4-7-07 and subsequently cleared back to Highland Council on 2-8-07 for their own determination. |
| Erection of 1 wind turbine at Galston Primary School | Application notified to Scottish Ministers on 5-11-07. Under consideration. |
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 12 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil servants have transferred between Edinburgh and London since May 2007 and which Whitehall departments have been involved.
Answer
The number of ScottishGovernment civil servants loaned to other government departments in London since May 2007 is four. The following table providesthe requested information broken down into inward and outward loans. The Whitehall departments involved in these moves are Department ofWork and Pensions, Home Office, Ministry of Justice and the Cabinet Office.
| Inward Loans | Outward Loans |
| 2 | 2 |
The number of ScottishGovernment Civil Servants permanently transferred to government departments in London since May 2007 is six. The following table provides therequested information broken down by the direction of the move. The Whitehall Departmentsinvolved in these moves are HM Treasury, Department for Transport, Home Office andBusiness Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (BERR) and the Central Office of Information.
| Transfers to London from Edinburgh | Transfers from London to Edinburgh |
| 1 | 5 |
The Scottish Governmentdoes not hold or have access to such information for other governmentdepartments in Scotland.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by Bruce Crawford on 9 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the bills to implement the proposals announced in the First Minister’s legislative programme statement on 5 September 2007.
Answer
The ScottishGovernment will be bringing forward a rolling programme of legislation in linewith the First Minister’s announcement over the remaining months of thisParliamentary year.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by Adam Ingram on 8 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to increase support for poorer students.
Answer
We have taken a quickfirst step to develop a fair student support package by introducing a Bill to abolishthe Graduate Endowment Fee.
We intend to consultwidely on our further proposals on student support next year.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 8 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects bridge tolls to be abolished.
Answer
The Abolition of BridgeTolls (Scotland) Bill was introduced on 3 September 2007. The principles of the bill will be debated on 15 November2007 and further progress is subject to the will of the Parliament. However,ministers expect the bill to complete its parliamentary stages by the end of theyear, and the tolls would end as soon as practicable thereafter.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 8 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what the difference is between its plan for upgrading the full length of the M8 to motorway standard and the proposals of the previous administration.
Answer
The M8 corridor isbeing reviewed as part of the Strategic Transport Projects Review which is currentlyunder way and will report in the summer of 2008. I set out our commitment to theplanned upgrading of the last remaining gap on the M8 corridor between Bailliestonto Newhouse to motorway standard in my statement to Parliament on 27 June. Draftorders for the scheme were published on 23 October 2007, underlining this commitment.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 8 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what responsibilities (a) chief constables, (b) police boards and (c) Scottish ministers have in relation to the operational deployment of police officers and whether there are any plans to change such responsibilities.
Answer
Under the tripartitearrangement for the accountability for the police service in Scotland, Scottish ministers retain overall responsibilityfor setting strategic priorities and national policing policy. Police authoritiesare responsible for securing the maintenance of an efficient and effectivepolice force, overseeing the work of the chief constable and holding him/her toaccount for the policing of the force area. Chief constables are responsiblefor the enforcement of the law and for operational aspects of policing in theirforce area.
There arecurrently no plans to change these responsibilities.
- Asked by: George Foulkes, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2007
-
Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 7 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in establishing the Scottish futures trust; when it is expected to be launched, and when local authorities will be able to apply for funding from the trust.
Answer
Our working groupis making considerable progress in developing the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) initiativeto deliver better, more efficient infrastructure for taxpayers and an announcementwill be made when we are ready to explain it in more detail.
I have already givena progress report on SFT to the Scottish Parliament’s Finance Committee in relationto their inquiry into funding of capital projects, and promised to keep them informedas developments continue.
